STORRS, Conn. -- There was a sense of accomplishment surrounding the University of Connecticut women's basketball team Monday night that sometimes gets lost with all the program has done the past quarter-century.

The top-ranked Huskies' 82-53 American Athletic Conference win over No. 20 South Florida at Gampel Pavilion capped off their third straight unbeaten regular season and 10th overall. On deck for UConn (29-0 overall, 16-0 AAC) is an AAC tournament quarterfinal game Sunday against either Memphis or Tulane at Mohegan Sun Arena.

But first there's a chance to reflect on what they did. The Huskies made something hard look easy (again) and they appreciated just how hard it was.

"There were times that we didn't think that we would get here," UConn senior All-American GabbyWilliams said. "This one means a lot. My sophomore year with the Big Three (Breanna Stewart, Moriah Jefferson, and Morgan Tuck) it seemed like it was impossible not to get it. Last year we didn't expect it in the beginning but we got there. This year there were moments that we thought there was no way we'd win all these games but we found ways. So for me this one means the most."

UConn's last regular season loss came on Nov. 17, 2014, at Stanford. The only other loss in Williams' and classmate Kia Nurse's college career came in the NCAA Final Four semifinals last March 31 to Mississippi State.

There have also been 141 wins (and counting) with two national championships, three Final Four appearances, four AAC regular season titles, and three AAC tournament crowns.

"For us, we try to take each and every day and appreciate what we have and appreciate the opportunities we've been given as a result of the people who built this place and what the coaching staff does for us every day," Nurse said. "But at the same time you have to focus on what's in front of you."

And that's why the sense of accomplishment sometimes get lost.

Six of the previous nine unbeaten regular season ended with perfect seasons. The 2003 team recovered from a loss in the Big East tournament final to win the national championship. But the 1997 season concluded with a loss to Tennessee in the regional finals and, of course, there was last year.

"I guess that they're hard to do otherwise more people would do it," UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. "I want to say that we all celebrate and appreciate what we're doing but it is one of those things where it really doesn't register until after. Then after you look back and you go, 'Man I can't believe we did that again. Do you know how hard it is to do that once?' But sometimes we get so fixated on what the next nine games look like, and even more importantly the six after these three if we're fortunate enough.

"I told the players in the locker room afterward, 'The only thing you're guaranteed or entitled to is 29 of them. That is how many you get. That's it. Then after 29, you're allowed one more. And then if you're in the NCAA tournament you can have another.' So in reality, we either have two games left in our season or we have nine or anywhere in between there."

UConn ran the table against the toughest non-league schedule in the country that had eight ranked opponents out of 13 and included the co-champions of the Atlantic Coast Conference (Louisville and Notre Dame), the second-place team in the Big Ten (Maryland), the second- and third-place teams in the Big 12 (Texas and Oklahoma), the second-place team in the Southeastern Conference (South Carolina), the second- and third-place teams in the Pac-12 (Stanford and UCLA) and the Big East co-champion (DePaul). Nevada, which was scheduled as a homecoming for Williams, was the only non-conference opponent to finish with a losing record.

The Huskies then rolled through the AAC, as expected, by an average margin of 47.4 points.

"Arguably this was one of the tougher schedules that we've had," Auriemma said. "But we had four starters back, so you would assume that we'd be able to handle something like that. But nobody goes in thinking we're going to be able to win them all. You're not going to win them all. But sometimes you do and you get lucky.

"The thing for me is, and I told the players this, that this is the hardest year for me in the last four or five years easily. There hasn't even been another one that is close. This was really hard. There was a lot of stuff that we had to deal with this year. There were times when our record was the furthest thing from our minds and our players' minds. There were weeks where it felt like we were losing. Every day felt like a loss. Every practice was a loss. Every game was a loss. Every film session was a loss. Everything felt like we were losing, because everything was a struggle. And maybe you have to go through those times so that you can appreciate what you do. You look back and you go, 'Wow. In the middle of all that we went 29-0.'

"Tuck and Stewie's senior year, Oct. 15 came and I said, 'Hey guys, call me when the NCAA tournament starts. I don't even want to talk to you until then because there's nothing for us to do. All we have to do is show up and play our A game, and we can't possibly lose.' I never felt like that this year, not one time."

UConn overcame a pair of double-figure deficits -- one in the fourth quarter against Notre Dame at the XL Center on Dec. 3, one in the first quarter at Texas on Jan. 15 -- to stay perfect. All-American Katie Lou Samuelson missed five games with left foot and left ankle injuries and point guard Crystal Dangerfield sat out two games and struggled through others with shin splints in her left leg. Williams has dealt with hip issues since December. Reserve Batouly Camara missed the first seven games with a right knee injury and has only shown flashes of the form the Huskies had hoped to see all season. The bench -- outside of Azura Stevens -- has struggled mightily.

But here they are, unbeaten headed into the postseason.

"You've heard Coach talk about it," Williams said. "It wasn't easy for us with integrating six new players, and then having to travel as much as we traveled. It was really difficult. So it just means more that we're here."

HONOR ROLLS

Stevens became the fifth UConn player to be named the AAC Player of the Week with the award being announced Tuesday. The redshirt junior forward averaged 19.3 points on 61.5 percent shooting from the floor and 7.7 rebounds in wins over Tulane, SMU, and USF.

Williams, Samuelson, and Dangerfield have won the weekly honor twice each, while Nurse has been honored once.

On Monday, Williams and Samuelson were named as semifinalists for the Naismith Trophy as national Player of the Year. Samuelson won the Naismith as the top high school player in 2015. On Tuesday, Samuelson was chosen as a finalist for the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award as the top shooting guard in the country along with AsiaDurr (Louisville), Kitija Laksa (USF), Arike Ogunbowale (Notre Dame), and Victoria Vivians (Mississippi State).

Nurse is one of five finalists for the Nancy Lieberman Award as the nation's top point guard. The other finalists are Lexie Brown (Duke), Katelynn Flaherty (Michigan), Kelsey Mitchell (Ohio State), and Sabrina Ionescu (Oregon).

FREE THROWS

Ezi Magbegor, a 6-foot-4 forward from Melbourne, Australia, watched the game from behind the UConn bench as part of her official recruiting visit. It was her second American college visit as she was at UCLA last weekend. Magbegor also has the option of returning to her WNBL team in Australia, the Canberra Capitals ... For the 17th consecutive week, UConn was the unanimous choice as No. 1 in the Associated Press poll released Monday. The top five remained the same as the Huskies were followed by Mississippi State (30-0), Baylor (28-1), Louisville (29-2), and Notre Dame (27-2). Mercer (27-2) entered at No. 25, the first time the Bears have been ranked since Dec. 9, 1980 ... Attendance at Gampel Pavilion was announced at 9,115 Monday, the first time Senior Night has not been sold out since 2013.

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WATCH: Jalen Adams talks bounce-back performance in win over Drexel

Adams, UConn prepare for Villanova next

Dec 18 | 10:49PM

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Adams happy after bouncing back00:01:04

Jalen Adams scored 20 points in UConn's 97-65 win over Drexel. Villanova is a tough opponent as the Huskies' next opponent.

UConn guard Jalen Adams rebounded from a tough game against Manhattan by scoring 20 points in a 97-65 victory over Drexel on Tuesday.

Adams and UConn have a tough challenge ahead when they play defending national champion Villanova on Saturday.

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UConn powers its way past Drexel, 97-65

Jalen Adams, Tarin Smith each lead team with 20 points

Dec 15 | 11:36PM

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UConn breezes past Drexel, 97-6500:01:48

Jalen Adams rebounded after only scoring two points in his last game, leading the Huskies to a 97-65 win against Drexel.

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) Jalen Adams and Tarin Smith scored 20 points apiece to lead UConn over Drexel 97-65 Tuesday in nonconference play at the XL Center.

Adams shot 8 for 12 from the field, bouncing back from a season-low two points on Saturday against Manhattan. Smith hit all seven of his shots as UConn (10-3) had four players finish in double-figure scoring. Christian Vital finished with 17 points and six rebounds, while Alterique Gilbert scored 10.

It's the sixth time this season UConn has scored more than 90 points. >> Read more

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UConn coach Dan Hurley reacts to team's win over Manhattan

Connecticut topped Manhattan, 61-46

Dec 16 | 12:25AM

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Dan Hurley pleased after win00:01:35

The Huskies came out with a strong second half to beat Manhattan 61-46 leaving head coach Dan Hurley happy after the game.

UConn coach Dan Hurley was pleased with his team's win over Manhattan on Saturday.

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UConn holds on to beat Manhattan, 61-46

Christian Vital led the team with 13 points

Dec 15 | 11:36PM

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UConn tops Manhattan 61-4600:01:49

The Huskies were back in action and held Manhattan to a season-low 46 points in the win.

The Huskies (8-0) have won 123 consecutive regular season games. Crystal Dangerfield added 18 points, and Christyn Williams had 17.

Myia Clark led Saint Louis (4-5) with 18 points.

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No. 2 UConn tops No. 1 Notre Dame 89-71 in Final Four rematch

Christyn Williams leads Huskies with 28 points

Dec 2 | 6:21PM

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UConn Women upset Notre Dame00:01:06

UConn upset Notre Dame at home, winning 89-71. The Huskies will likely take over the top spot in the rankings with the win

Freshman Christyn Williams scored a career-high 28 points on 11-of-16 shooting and No. 2 Connecticut never lost the lead after the 6:36 mark of the first quarter in dominating No. 1 Notre Dame 89-71 on Sunday.

All-American Katie Lou Samuelson, who was held scoreless by the Irish in the first half, had 15 points, including a three-point play that gave Geno Auriemma's Huskies a 74-64 lead with 6:08 to play. The Huskies' biggest lead was 19 points late.

Napheesa Collier added 16 points with 15 rebounds. Crystal Dangerfield scored 13 points and Megan Walker had 12 as the Huskies (7-0) ended a 28-game winning streak at home by Muffet McGraw's Irish, who beat UConn 91-89 in overtime in last season's NCAA semifinals on way to their second national championship. In its last 100 games at home, Notre Dame is 97-3 - with all the losses coming against the Huskies.

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Dan Hurley, UConn fall to 6-2 with 76-72 loss to Arizona

Jalen Adams' 21 points not enough

Dec 2 | 6:21PM

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UConn falls short to Arizona00:01:11

UConn fell short at home to Arizona. The Huskies couldn't overcome the Wildcat's tough defense, ultimately losing by 4 for a final of 76-72.

Arizona didn't make a basket over the final 6 1/2 minutes against UConn, but hit enough free throws to hold off the Huskies.

Brandon Randolph scored 20 points and Chase Jeter added 14 as Arizona won its first true road game of the season, 76-72 on Sunday in front of more than 14,600 fans in Hartford.

Alterique Gilbert and Josh Carlton added 15 points each for the Huskies (6-1), who won their third straight, all home wins over mid-major opponents.

Obadiah Noel had 20 points for UMass Lowell, which cut a 23-point Husky lead to 10 by halftime, but could get no closer.

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UConn sails to 86-40 win over Purdue

Katie Lou Samuelson led UConn with 22 points

Nov 24 | 10:08PM

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Jan 18, 2018; Storrs, CT, USA; Connecticut Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma talks with guard Mikayla Coombs (4) from the sideline as they take on the Tulsa Golden Hurricane in the first half at Gampel Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports (David Butler II)

ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands (AP) Katie Lou Samuelson tied her season high with 22 points, and No. 2 UConn rolled to an 86-40 victory over Purdue on Saturday night in the Paradise Jam tournament.

Napheesa Collier had a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Christyn Williams added 17 for the Huskies (5-0), who extended their regular-season winning streak to 120 games.

Dominique Oden and Kayana Traylor scored 12 points each for the Boilermakers (5-2), who shot 24.6 percent (16 of 65) in suffering their worst defeat on a neutral court since a 44-point loss to Louisiana Tech on March 22, 1990. >> Read more

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) Receiver Isaiah Wright scored on a run and a kickoff return as Temple routed UConn 57-7 on Saturday and the Huskies finished the season with several records for defensive futility.

The Owls (8-4, 7-1 American), who started the year 0-2, finished the regular season with three straight wins and victories in six of their final seven games.

It took Temple just two minutes to go 71 yards for the first score of the game, an 18-yard run from Wright on an option play. After UConn tied the game at 7 a few minutes later, Wright took the kickoff at the 1-yard-line, and went 99 yards straight up the middle of the field for a touchdown.

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WATCH: Dan Hurley, Christian Vital react to UConn's win over UNH

Huskies improved to 5-1 with a 91-66 victory

Nov 24 | 4:23PM

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Hurley and Vital talk big win00:00:41

Dan Hurley and Christian Vital talk about a 91-66 win for the UConn Huskies over New Hampshire on Saturday afternoon

UConn had plenty of reason to feel good on Saturday as it cruised all the way to a 91-66 victory over the University of New Hampshire to improve to 5-1.

Head coach Dan Hurley and guard Christian Vital -- who recorded a double-double in the victory -- spoke with SNY following the game.

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Jalen Adams, Josh Carlton lead UConn over UNH, 91-66

Christian Vital also chips in with double-double

Nov 24 | 1:39PM

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UConn routs New Hampshire, 91-6600:01:31

Josh Carlton and Jalen Adams scored 17 each as UConn took down New Hampshire 91-66, as the Huskies improved to 5-1 on the season.

The UConn men's basketball earned their fourth win of the season on Tuesday night, as they took down the Cornell Big Red, 91-74, at home.

It was once again G Jalen Adams leading the way with a team-high 21 points over 30 minutes of floor time. Christian Vital was also a big part of the team with 19 points, four rebounds and two assists as well.

Three more Huskies made it into double-digits in the points column, with Tyler Polley (10), Alterique Gilbert (11), and Tarin Smith (12) contributing in the win. >> READ MORE

The Huskies improved to 4-1

Nov 20 | 10:29PM

Jalen Adams led the Huskies to a 91-74 win against Cornell. Dan Hurley's squad had a rough start but finished strong.

The UConn men's basketball earned their fourth win of the season on Tuesday night, as they took down the Cornell Big Red, 91-74, at home.

It was once again G Jalen Adams leading the way with a team-high 21 points over 30 minutes of floor time. Christian Vital was also a big part of the team with 19 points, four rebounds and two assists as well.

Three more Huskies made it into double-digits in the points column, with Tyler Polley (10), Alterique Gilbert (11), and Tarin Smith (12) contributing in the win.

Auriemma, Huskies looking for redemption this season

Nov 17 | 4:59PM

UConn coach Geno Auriemma talks about the unique challenges facing his team, as they try to rebound from last year's loss in the Final Four.

Geno Auriemma and the No. 2 ranked UConn women Huskies kick off their 2018-19 regular season play against Vanderbilt on Saturday night at the Mohegan Sun Arena at 6 p.m.

UConn played an exhibition game against Ohio State last Sunday, where they dominated to the tune of a 85-53 victory. This is the usual result for the Huskies, as they are normally the favorite in any game they play.

However, the Huskies still have that crushing loss in the National Championship game against Notre Dame just months ago still in the back of their heads. Auriemma noted that last season was one of the hardest years coaching over his extensive career, and he's looking to change that this season.

Jalen Adams stood in front of his teammates in the UConn locker room at Madison Square Garden Thursday night and was presented with a military coin by Kevin McMahon, a Wounded Warrior with four tours in Iraq and Afghanistan under his belt.

"To be able to have the honor to present him with the Wounded Warrior coin on behalf of this tournament, the young man earned it," McMahon, who has been embedded with UConn through their first four games this season, told SNY.tv.

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Dan Hurley ejected as Iowa beats UConn for 2K Classic title

UConn dealt first loss of season in 91-72 tourney rout

Nov 16 | 9:59PM

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Rough night for Hurley and UConn00:00:46

It was a tough night for the UConn men at MSG, as coach Dan Hurley was ejected, and the Huskies fell to Iowa, 91-72.

NEW YORK (AP) Luka Garza scored 18 of his 22 points in the first half, and Iowa beat Connecticut 91-72 in the 2K Classic championship game on Friday night.

Garza was named MVP of the tournament. He also joinedTyler Cook, UConn'sEric Cobb, Oregon's Bol Bol and Syracuse's Jalen Carey on the all-tournament team.

WATCH: Geno Auriemma looks at new UConn season with hope

Legendary coach has high expectations after disappointing end to last season

Nov 16 | 5:10PM

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Geno talks new UConn challenges00:01:42

UConn coach Geno Auriemma talks about the unique challenges facing his team, as they try to rebound from last year's loss in the Final Four.

Geno Auriemma still has a sour taste in his mouth from last season.

The UConn women's head coach is determined to have his team bounce back from last season's Final Four ouster to Notre Dame.

Auriemma enters his 34th season as UConn's head coach and discusses his title aspirations and learning from last year's finish as the Huskies prepare for Vanderbilt in the Hall of Fame Showcase Game at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. on Saturday.

Nothing less than the first major test Dan Hurley Era awaited the Connecticut Huskies.

UConn was facing a Top 25 opponent in a nationally televised game in one of basketball's iconic venues.

For a group that has not been together for a full calendar year, it was fair to question how they would respond. Consider the test passed. With flying colors.

"They had a look the last couple days that they couldn't get here and play. They went out and performed at such a high level," Hurley said after Connecticut's 83-76 upset of No. 15 Syracuse in the first game of the 2K Classic Thursday night.

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Wounded Warrior Kevin McMahon making up for lost time with son through UConn men's basketball

Huskies coach Dan Hurley is a fan of the Wounded Warriors program

By Adam Zagoria | Nov 14 | 12:54PM

NEW YORK -- Dan Hurley was nervous and stressed as he awaited his first game as head coach of the UConn men's basketball team in a sold-out environment against Morehead State last Thursday night at Gampel Pavilion. Everything from the game to recruiting concerns to facilities improvement was swirling through his head in the moments before tip-off.

In the locker room, Hurley made a point of coming over and introducing himself to Kevin McMahon, a Wounded Warrior who spent four tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan and was serving as the honorary UConn team captain for the opener. Kevin was there was his son Sean, a 2016 UConn graduate. Their interaction before the game helped Hurley put all his basketball concerns into perspective.

"The first game, where I'm a little bit nervous about coaching my first game at UConn, I got a chance to take my mind off it by speaking to [Kevin] about his military service," Hurley said this week by phone. "And so it was pretty cool, just getting a break [from] worrying about 2-3 zones and out-of-bounds plays [by] talking to an American hero. It was pretty cool."

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Tarin Smith scores 22 in UConn's 94-66 romp over UMKC

UConn starts season 2-0

Nov 11 | 7:41PM

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UConn beats UMKC, 94-6600:00:43

UConn moved to 2-0 under Dan Hurley, as Tarin Smith scored 22 points to lead the Huskies over UMKC on Sunday at Gampel Pavilion.

Tarin Smith scored 22 points to lead UConn over Missouri-Kansas City 94-66 Sunday at Gampel Pavilion.

The fifth-year senior guard shot 10 for 12 from the field to lead the Huskies (2-0). Smith transferred to UConn from Duquesne, where he was the Atlantic-10 Sixth Man of the Year last season.

Jalen Adams had 20 points, Alterique Gilbert 12 and Christian Vital added 10 rebounds. The last time UConn scored at least 90 points in a game was Feb. 8, 2017 when it beat South Florida 97-51.

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) Ke'Mon Freeman and Xavier Jones each ran for more than 100 yards and combined for five touchdowns as SMU climbed within a win of bowl eligibility by outscoring UConn 62-50 on Saturday.

Ben Hicks threw for 276 yards and a score for the Mustangs (5-5, 4-2 American), who are at .500 for the first time this season.

UConn quarterback David Pindell threw for 215 yards and four touchdowns ran for 181 yards and two others. He becomes first Husky quarterback to ever to rush for 1,000 in a season and the first UConn player to do it since tailback Lyle McCombs in 2011. >> Read More

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Dan Hurley, UConn open season with 80-70 win over Morehead State

Josh Carlton led the Huskies with 17 points

Nov 8 | 10:41PM

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UConn beats Morehead State00:00:57

In their first game under new head coach Dan Hurley, the UConn started their new era by taking down Morehead State, 80-70

STORRS, Conn. (AP) Dan Hurley had a successful coaching debut at UConn Thursday as his Huskies opened their season with an 80-70 win over Morehead State.

Josh Carlton scored 17 points and pulled down eight rebounds. Jalen Adams scored 16 points and Alterique Gilbert added 15 for the Huskies, who led by just four points at halftime.

STORRS, Conn. (AP) -- Marquis Young rushed for 148 yards including a fourth-quarter touchdown that gave UMass a 22-17 win over UConn on Saturday.

Young got an assist from teammates who helped shove him into the end zone from 3 yards out to take the lead with 3:39 remaining. On UConn's next play from scrimmage, Lee Moses intercepted David Pindell's pass near midfield and the Minutemen (3-5) were able to run out the clock to snap a three-game losing streak.

Young, who carried the ball 26 times, turned in his 12th career 100-yard rushing game. Ross Comis, starting in place of injured Andrew Ford, threw for 197 yards and two touchdowns with one interception.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) Johnny Ford rushed for 164 yards and three touchdowns to help No. 21 South Florida shrug off a slow start to remain unbeaten with a 38-30 victory over Connecticut on Saturday night.

Ford scored on runs of 15, 15 and 43 yards. He also set up a second-half field goal with a 78-yard burst, helping the Bulls (7-0, 3-0 American Athletic) pull away from a 7-7 halftime tie and match the best start in school history.

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UConn blown out by Cincinnati, 49-7

David Pindell completed just nine of his 23 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell preached to his team as they suffered through a four-win season a year ago that things would get better if they put in the work and believed in each other.

Jordan Horston chooses Tennessee over UConn

Haley Jones, Aliyah Boston set visits to UConn

The University of Connecticut and Tennessee women's basketball teams have had little in common the last decade.

They went their separate ways as far as scheduling in 2007, though they will renew their rivalry in January 2020. Over the last 10 seasons, the Huskies have been to all 10 NCAA Final Fours and won six national championships, passing the Lady Vols for the all-time lead in titles (11-8) and national semifinal berths (19-18), while Tennessee has not been past the Elite Eight since winning it all in 2008. The programs actually have not recruited many of the same players over the past decade.

Jordan Horston is an exception. The 6-foot guard from Columbus, Ohio, is the No. 2-rated player in the Class of 2019 by ESPNHoopgurlz and was the Most Valuable Player of the 2018 FIBA U-17 World Cup in July. UConn and Tennessee were among seven on schools on her list.

Breanna Stewart isn't just sitting on top of the basketball world, she is standing tall, all 6-foot-4 of her.

Yet the former University of Connecticut standout and the reigning WNBA Most Valuable Player remains committed to her mantra, humble and hungry, even after adding a second FIBA World Cup gold medal to her resume.

"It's just knowing that I can always get better," Stewart said Sunday. "Obviously I have won a lot, but my individual play can be better. That is what's exciting for me, knowing that I have been successful but knowing there's a lot I can improve on, too."

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder kept the Bearcats undefeated, throwing for 270 yards and two touchdowns and running for another score in a 49-7 rout of UConn on Saturday.

Michael Warren II rushed for 106 yards and touchdowns of 2 and 14 yards for the Bearcats (5-0, 1-0 American Athletic).

Cincinnati found the end zone on seven of its first nine possessions. The Bearcats went 74 and 88 yards the first two times they had the ball and got to the UConn 10-yard line on their third trip before a fumbled handoff.

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Griffin commits to UConn

Huskies land first 2019 recruit

Griffin, a 6-foot senior guard/forward from Ossining, New York, made a verbal commitment to the University of Connecticut and women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma on Thursday, choosing the Huskies over Louisville.

"I just fell in love with it," Griffin said. "It's always been my dream school and I'm so happy. It's a great program and I'll be close to my family. I made a good connection with the coaches and the players. Once I left Sunday, I just had a really good feeling about it.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) Eric Dungey scored three touchdowns and threw for another to key a first-half blitz and Syracuse continued its early season success with a 51-21 victory over former Big East rival Connecticut on Saturday.

Syracuse, which has not yet trailed this season, has won its first four games for the first time since 1991 and only the fourth time since the end of World War II. The Orange finished 4-8 in each of the past three seasons. >> Read more

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The dream is still alive for Morgan Tuck

Team USA begins FIBA World Cup play Saturday

By Carl Adamec | Sep 21 | 8:12PM

Morgan Tuck was a fixture on USA Basketball's youth teams while in high school and in her first year at the University of Connecticut. It was then she set a goal -- to someday play for the United States Olympic Team.

But knee injuries with the Huskies and at the start of her career with the WNBA's Connecticut Sun had her wondering if she'd ever had a chance. She had also seen contemporaries like USA and UConn teammate Breanna Stewart emerge to stardom.

Even with her issues, though, she was named to the 2017-20 national team pool a year ago and her first healthy season with the Sun followed. Following two weeks of camp, the 24-year-old was named Wednesday to her first senior national team that will take part in the FIBA World Cup starting Saturday in Tenerife, Spain.

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Recruit Griffin excited to give UConn a look

Second official visit of four for Ossining, N.Y. standout

By Carl Adamec | Sep 20 | 10:00PM

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Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma speaks during a press conference before a regional semifinal game against Duke in the NCAA women's college basketball tournament Friday, March 23, 2018, in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II) (Frank Franklin II/AP)

Aubrey Griffin admits that the University of Connecticut is her dream school to continue her basketball and academic careers.

But reality is that she wants to be sure the biggest decision for her to date is the right one. That's why the 6-foot senior guard/forward from Ossining, New York, plans on taking four official visits - including this weekend's trip to Storrs - before making her call.

UConn releases 2018-19 women's basketball schedule

Fifteen games to be shown on SNY

Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma speaks during a press conference before a regional semifinal game against Duke in the NCAA women's college basketball tournament Friday, March 23, 2018, in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II) (Frank Franklin II/AP)

The University of Connecticut women's basketball team's 2018-19 schedule -- featuring 14 non-league games and 16 American Athletic Conference contests -- is out.

The Huskies, who will return three starters from last season's 36-1 club that advanced to the NCAA Final Four for a record 11th consecutive year, will face nine teams that played in the NCAA tournament, including national champion Notre Dame, Final Four participant Louisville, Elite Eight representative and 2017 national champion South Carolina, and AAC rival South Florida.

Six games will be played at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs with five -- including South Carolina -- being played at the XL Center in Hartford. Vanderbilt will face UConn at Mohegan Sun Arena.

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UConn facing crucial recruiting season

Auriemma: 'We have needs everywhere'

Over the last five years, the University of Connecticut women's basketball team has sent as many players to the WNBA (11) as it has on its current roster. Ten were first-round selections, with Saniya Chong spending a little more than a season with the Dallas Wings after being chosen in the third round in 2017.

The Huskies figure to add to that total next April when senior All-Americans Katie Lou Samuelson and Napheesa Collier head to the next level.

Coach Geno Auriemma and associate head coach Chris Dailey have been able to keep UConn among the elite for a quarter-century. The Huskies own six of the last 10 national championships (11 total) and have made 11 consecutive NCAA Final Four appearances to take the all-time lead with 19. No one else has made more than five straight trips to the national semifinals.

But are those graduation losses finally going to add up? The feeling is that Auriemma must a bring in a strong recruiting class this fall if the Huskies are to stay a threat on the national stage heading into the next decade.